If you’re a gardener, you’ve probably wondered, “do gophers eat garlic?” while looking for ways to protect your plants. The short answer is no, gophers generally avoid eating garlic, and this fact is key to using it as a natural deterrent. These persistent burrowers are a real headache, damaging roots and ruining lawns. But before you reach for harsh chemicals, understanding their habits and using smart, plant-based strategies can save your garden.
Gophers are herbivores with a taste for roots, tubers, and leafy greens. Their diet includes favorites like carrots, peas, and the roots of your prized roses. Garlic, however, with its strong sulfur compounds, is naturally unappealing to them. This makes it a powerful tool in your pest control arsenal, not as a food source but as a barrier they’d rather not cross.
Do Gophers Eat Garlic
As we’ve established, gophers do not eat garlic. They find the potent smell and taste offensive. This repellant property is what makes garlic so useful. You can use the plant itself or concentrated forms to create a defensive perimeter around your valued garden beds. It’s a method that works with nature, not against it.
Why Garlic Works as a Gopher Repellent
Gophers rely heavily on their keen sense of smell to navigate and find food underground. Strong odors confuse and deter them.
* Powerful Sulfur Compounds: Garlic contains allicin, which creates that distinctive, pungent aroma. This is what makes it effective.
* Sensory Overload: A gopher’s sensitive nose finds these odors overwhelming, prompting them to tunnel elsewhere.
* A Natural Approach: Unlike poisons, garlic poses no direct threat to pets, wildlife, or your soil’s health when used appropriately.
How to Use Garlic to Deter Gophers
You have several effective options for using garlic in your fight against gophers. Consistency is important, as scents will fade over time, especially after watering or rain.
1. Planting Garlic in Your Garden
This is the most straightforward and attractive method. Interplant garlic bulbs among your vulnerable plants.
* Create a Border: Plant garlic cloves around the perimeter of a garden bed to form a protective barrier.
* Interplant Strategically: Place garlic near plants that are gopher favorites, like lettuces or beans.
* Harvest and Replant: Remember to harvest your garlic in summer and replant new cloves in the fall to maintain the barrier.
2. Using a Garlic Spray Repellent
A homemade spray is excellent for targeting existing burrows and tunnels.
Here’s a simple recipe:
1. Blend 2 full bulbs of garlic (not just cloves) with 2 cups of water until smooth.
2. Let the mixture steep for 24 hours to intensify the concentration.
3. Strain the pulp and add the liquid to a gallon of water.
4. Pour the spray directly into gopher holes and fresh mound openings. Reapply every few days and after rain.
3. Adding Garlic Directly to Tunnels
For a more potent approach, place raw garlic directly in the tunnels.
* Crush several cloves to release the oils and drop them into active holes.
* You can also mix crushed garlic with castor oil or fish emulsion for an even stronger repellent effect.
* Cover the hole loosely with soil to trap the smell underground where it matters most.
Other Effective Natural Gopher Deterrents
While garlic is a star player, a combined strategy works best. Gophers have other natural enemies you can employ.
* Castor Oil: A classic remedy. Mix castor oil with water and dish soap to create a soil drench that makes roots taste bad.
* Fish Emulsion: The smell is a strong deterrent. Apply as a soil soak, but be prepared for the temporary odor.
* Gopher Spurge (Euphorbia Lathyris): Also called “mole plant,” this plant is believed to have root secretions that repel burrowing animals.
* Raised Beds with Hardware Cloth: Line the bottom of raised beds with galvanized hardware cloth before filling with soil. This provides a physical barrier that gophers cannot penetrate.
What Gophers Actually Eat (And What to Protect)
Knowing what attracts gophers helps you know what needs extra protection. Their diet changes with the seasons but focuses on succulent roots and stems.
* Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes, peas, beans, and lettuce are top targets.
* Roots and Bulbs: They love the roots of alfalfa, dandelions, and your flowering bulbs like tulips.
* Landscape Plants: Roses, fruit tree roots, and many ornamental shrubs are often on the menu.
* Lawn Grasses: They will eat grass roots, especially in dry conditions, leading to yellowing patches.
When to Call a Professional
Natural deterrents are highly effective for prevention and mild infestations. However, for a severe or persistent gopher problem, professional help may be needed. If you’ve tried multiple methods over several weeks and see no reduction in activity, a pest control expert can offer more solutions. They can assess the situation and use traps or other techniques that might be necessary in extreme cases.
Protecting your garden from gophers is an ongoing process. By using garlic and other natural methods, you create an environment that’s simply less inviting to them. Regular monitoring for new mounds and consistent application of your chosen deterrents will give you the best results. Remember, the goal is to encourage them to move on, not to eliminate every creature from your yard. A balanced ecosystem is the healthiest for your garden in the long run.
FAQ: Gophers, Garlic, and Garden Protection
Do gophers like garlic or onions?
No, gophers dislike both. Alliums like garlic, onions, and chives have strong scents that naturally repel them. Planting these throughout your garden is a great defensive strategy.
What is the most effective home remedy for gophers?
A combination of planting garlic/onions, using a castor oil soil drench, and installing physical barriers like underground wire mesh is often the most effective home strategy. There’s rarely a single “magic bullet.”
Will garlic kill gophers?
No, garlic will not kill gophers. It acts solely as a repellent by making the area smell unpleasant to them. Its use is about protection, not extermination.
How often should I apply garlic spray?
You should reapply a garlic spray every 3-4 days and definately after any rainfall or heavy watering. The scent dissipates and needs to be refreshed to remain effective.
What smells do gophers hate the most?
Besides garlic and castor oil, gophers strongly dislike the smell of fish, coffee grounds, and certain essential oils like peppermint. However, garlic is one of the most reliable and easy-to-use options for most gardeners.